Richard, Duke of York, to King Henry VI

LETTER XIV.

Richard Duke of York his Peticōn to Kyng Henry for the
puny’shement of Treytors, &c.

        PLEASE it your hyghnes tendirly to consider the grett
             grutchyng and Romer that is universaly in this your
reame of y^t Justice is nouth dewly ministrid to such as tres-
pas and offende a yens your lawes and in special of them that
ben endited of Treson and oy^r beying openly noysed of the
same wherfore for gret inconveniens y^t have fallen and grett is
lyke to fallen her after in your seid Reame which god defende
but if be your hyghnesse p’vysion covenuble be mad for dew
reformacon and punyshnent in this behalf Wherfore I your
humble sugett and lyge man Richard Duke of York willyng as
effectually as I kan and desiryng suerte and p’sp’ite of your
most roiall p’son and welfare of this your noble reame councel
and adv’tyse your excellent for the ¹ conv’sacōn of Good
tranquillite and pesable rewle among all trew sogetts for to
ordeyn and p’vyde y^t dewe Justice be had a yenst all such that
ben so endited or openly so noysed Wher inne I offre and

wol put me in Devour for to execute your comaundements in
thes p’mises of such offenders and redresse of the seid mysrew-
lers to my myth and power And for the hasty execucon herof
lyke it your hyghnes to dresse your lett’es of prevy seale
and writts to your officers and ministres to do take and areste
all soch p’sons so noysed or endited of what astatte degre or
condicōn so ev’ thei be and them to comytte to your ² tour of
London or to other your p’sons ther to abyde with outen bayle
or maynprice on to the tyme y^t that thei be utt’ly tryed and
declared after the cours of your lawe.

  Paper Mark.
            N. B. The paper is cut so
                 that only part of the Mark
                 remains; it appears to be
                 a Pillar.

                        Pl. VIII. N^o 7.

 1451, 30 H. VI.

 This does not appear to have been the original Petition, which was delivered to the
King, but a Copy of it then taken and sent to J. Paston.

     The Duke of York, returning from his Government of Ireland in 1451, found the
Ministers suspicious of him; he therefore, by the advice of his Friends, retired into

Wales, and from thence sent this Petition to the King, which was chiefly aimed at the
Duke of Somerset. Pl. I. N^o 4.

     A civil Answer was returned, informing him that proper measures were to be taken,
and that he would be one of the Commissioners for putting them into execution.

     ¹ Should not this word be conservation?

 ² This shews, that the Tower of London was, in this age, a Prison allotted for the
keeping of those, who were accused of Crimes against the State

This Letter (as well as some others) is a curious instance of the motley form of our
Language, when the general use of it was still in its Infancy—a Sugett—put me in
Devour — convenable, &c. &c.

LETTER XIV.

Richard Duke of York’s Petition to King Henry for the
Punishment of Traitors, &c.

       PLEASE it, your Highness, tenderly to consider the great
           grudging and Rumour that is universally in this your
Realm, of that Justice is not duly ministered to such as trespass,
and offend against your laws; and in special of them, that
(have) been endited of Treason, and others, being openly
noised of the same; wherefore, for great inconvenience that
have fallen, and great is like to fall hereafter, in your said
Realm, which Gcd desend, unless by your Highness, provision
convenable be made for due reformation, and punishment in
this behalf; Wherefore I, your humble Subject, and Liege man,
Richard Duke of York, willing as effectually as I can, and
desiring surety and prosperity of your most royal person, and
welfare of this your noble Realm, counsel and advertise your
excellence, for the ¹ conversation of good tranquillity and
peaceable rule among all true subjects, for to ordain and pro-
vide, that due Justice be had against all such that (have) been
so endited, or openly so noised; Wherein I offer, and will put

myself in Devour (duty) for to execute your commandments in these
premises, of such offenders and redress of the said misrulers,
to my might and power. And for the hasty execution hereof,
like it your Highness to address your Letters of Privy seal
and Writs, to your officers and ministers, to do take, and
arrest all such persons so noised or endited, of what estate,
degree, or condition so ever they be, and them to commit to
your ² Tower of London, or to other your Prisons, there to
abide without bail or mainprize unto the time that they be
utterly tryed, and declared after the course of your Law.

Paper Mark.
            N. B. The paper is cut so
                 that only part of the Mark
                 remains; it appears to be
                 a Pillar.

                        Pl. VIII. N^o 7.

 1451, 30 H. VI.

 This does not appear to have been the original Petition, which was delivered to the
King, but a Copy of it then taken and sent to J. Paston.

     The Duke of York, returning from his Government of Ireland in 1451, found the
Ministers suspicious of him; he therefore, by the advice of his Friends, retired into

Wales, and from thence sent this Petition to the King, which was chiefly aimed at the
Duke of Somerset. Pl. I. N^o 4.

     A civil Answer was returned, informing him that proper measures were to be taken,
and that he would be one of the Commissioners for putting them into execution.

     ¹ Should not this word be conservation?

 ² This shews, that the Tower of London was, in this age, a Prison allotted for the
keeping of those, who were accused of Crimes against the State

This Letter (as well as some others) is a curious instance of the motley form of our
Language, when the general use of it was still in its Infancy—a Sugett—put me in
Devour — convenable, &c. &c.

143

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK, TO KING HENRY VI²

Richard, Duke of York, his Peticion to Kyng Henry for the
punyshement of Treytors, &c.

PLEASE it your Hyghnes tendirly to consider the grett
     grutchyng and romer that is universaly in this your
     reame of that justice is nouth dewly ministred to such
as trespas and offende a yens your lawes, and in special of them
that ben endited of treson, and other beyng openly noysed of
the same; wherfore for gret inconveniens that have fallen,
and grett is lyke to fallen her after in your seid reame, which
God defende, but if [unless] be your Hyghnesse provysion
convenable be mad for dew reformacion and punyshment in
this behalf; Wherfore I, your humble suget and lyge man,
Richard, Duke of York, willyng as effectually as I kan, and
desiryng suerte and prosperite of your most roiall person, and
welfare of this your noble reame, councel and advertyse your
excellent, for the conversacion [conservation] of good tran-
quillite and pesable rewle among all trew sogetts, for to ordeyn
and provyde that dewe justice be had a yenst all such that ben
so endited or openly so noysed: wher inne I offre, and wol
put me in devour for to execute your comaundements in thes
premises of such offenders, and redresse of the seid mysrewlers
to my myth and power. And for the hasty execucion herof,
lyke it your Hyghnes to dresse your letteres of prevy seale and
writts to your officers and ministres to do take, and areste all
soch persons so noysed or endited, of what astatte, degre, or
condicion so ever thei be, and them to comytte to your Tour
of London, or to other your prisons, there to abyde with outen
bayle or maynprice on to the tyme that they be utterly tryed
and declared, after the cours of your lawe.

     ² [From Fenn, i. 64.] The MS. from which this was printed by Fenn was doubt-
less the copy of my Lord of York’s ‘bill’ which William Wayte sent to John
Paston, as mentioned in the end of the last letter.

1450
 

1450